Titled Micronesia Revisited: Teresa del Valle (Guam, 1974–1978), the exhibit features del Valle’s anthropological work in Guam, along with a selection of artifacts and documents from her broader fieldwork across Micronesia, including Palau. These materials — including her personal archives — were donated to the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Library, offering rare insights into the region’s cultural and social transformations during that era.

The exhibit was curated by Beatriz Moral and Carmen Díez, both former students of del Valle, with scholarly contributions from Dr. Carlos Madrid, Director and Professor of History of Spanish Pacific at the Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC) at the University of Guam. The exhibit underscores del Valle’s interdisciplinary legacy.

“Teresa del Valle’s field research in Humåtak is a respectful portrayal of cultural adaptation in one of Guam’s most historic villages, and MARC published her dissertation in 1979,” said Madrid. “This exhibit is a well-deserved recognition of her contributions to Micronesian studies. She is also a pioneering figure in feminist anthropology.”

Del Valle was formerly a nun with the Mercedarian Missionary Sisters of Berriz, a congregation with active missions in Guam, Palau, Saipan, and Pohnpei. Her dual roles as a missionary and scholar informed an ethnographic approach that centered on women’s roles, social structures, and cultural resilience.

The exhibit is housed in the Gipuzkoa Campus Library in San Sebastián, Spain, at the University of the Basque Country. It is open to the public and represents a significant international recognition of Guam’s cultural heritage reinforcing Guam’s global academic and cultural outreach.

To learn more about Teresa del Valle’s work and Guam’s cultural heritage, visit the MARC library at uog.edu/marc. 

Download the Exhibit Catalog